Did you know that lamingtons originated by accident? What was originally a last-minute dinner party trick in the late 1800s for Lord Lamington, the Governor of Queensland at the time, resulted in a frenzy that swept the nation, and today, they’re still just as popular in Australia as well as New Zealand. We couldn’t help but try them out ourselves– and add a twist! Meet our Orange-Plum Lamington Loaf Cake. Flavored generously with orange zest and damson plum preserves, this cake is absolutely delightful in every bite.
Kana makes baking lamingtons even easier with their precut parchment. Each precut sheet nestles perfectly into a 8½x4½ -inch pan, reducing waste and creating a nonstick surface to easily remove this beautiful cake from the pan. Kana parchment sheets are responsibly made from wood pulp sourced exclusively from sustainably managed forests in Finland and coated with a natural silicone, giving them a high-performance nonstick and greaseproof finish that offers a healthier way to bake. Not only are these sourced with sustainability in mind, but the sheets are also completely compostable and biodegradable. With an irresistible sheet cake recipe in hand, it’s an all-around win, so grab a sheet and preheat your oven!
- ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1⅓ cups (267 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) tightly packed orange zest
- 3 large eggs (150 grams), room temperature
- 1½ cups (187 grams) unbleached cake flour
- ¾ teaspoon (2.25 grams) kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 grams) baking soda
- ⅔ cup (160 grams) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (80 grams) damson plum preserves
- Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)
- 1¼ cups (122 grams) unsweetened flaked coconut
- Position oven rack just below center of oven. (See Note.) Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C). Spray an 8½x4½-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, and orange zest at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined after each addition.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition and stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Spoon batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with a small offset spatula. Tap pan on a kitchen towel-lined counter several times to settle batter and release any air bubbles.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour and 6 minutes, loosely covering with foil after 45 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Using excess parchment as handles, remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Using a serrated knife or a cake leveler, cut cake in half horizontally. Using a small offset spatula, spread preserves onto bottom half; place top half, cut side down, on top of preserves. Wipe away any excess preserves from sides of cake.
- Place cake on a wire rack set over a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Gradually pour and spread Chocolate Glaze onto cake, using a small offset spatula to spread on top and coat sides. Place another sheet of parchment under wire rack. Once excess has dripped off but glaze is still wet, cover cake evenly on all sides with coconut. Let stand until glaze is set, about 30 minutes.
